Jammu, July 10: The ninth batch of Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, comprising more than 8,500 devotees, left from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu on Friday for the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam under tight security arrangements.
Officials said a total of 8,796 pilgrims departed early morning in a convoy of 354 vehicles, including light and heavy motor vehicles. The batch included 3,450 pilgrims heading towards Baltal and 5,346 pilgrims bound for Pahalgam.
The pilgrimage is being conducted under a multi-layered security setup, with coordinated efforts by the civil administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police, security forces and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board to ensure the safety and smooth movement of devotees.
Officials said that around 1,71,501 pilgrims from across the country have visited the holy cave shrine in the first seven days since the yatra began.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has advised devotees to undertake the pilgrimage only after confirmed registration and on their allotted dates, as unregistered pilgrims will not be permitted to proceed towards the base camps.
The annual Amarnath Yatra was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who flagged off the first batch from Jammu on July 2.
